finally.....our first destination :: Las Vegas

Since this journey began I find myself sad ....a little sad that a few of my closest friends never experience my world ... because they're social recluses.  No offense, you friend out there with No FB, Instagram, Twitter, or even Pinterest account....for the love.....get with ONE of them for the sake of all my sanity.  Heck, make up a fake name....use a picture of bananas as your profile...just make it happen.

Now, how do you say it? {D-ella} ? or Blu or what?!?

Maybe I did think I’d end up with this quiet little lady who didn’t talk back and baked.   I have to think that if little boys, “played house”...which I’m pretty sure I didn’t do...I would have conjured a partner like June Cleaver or something.  (click on through to read more)

Christmas Adventures: are they only funny to us???

  Toby Mac is one anointed man!  The song "Steal My Show" on his new album has me in tears on my way to Mama's house for Christmas lunch...which we're now over an hour late:)  oops!  Sorry Mama!

This song gets me back to the center

Guest Post :: My Cup

This is written by my good friend since college, Kim.  She and I have some wacky stories to tell and she is to this day the silliest person (other than myself) I have ever met.  An innocent, loving silliness that marks her in my heart forever.  These are her words and her pictures.  Please welcome her with love and sweet comments so she'll come back again.

"To sum it up, in my opinion, living decorated is living a loving life.   Spreading the love.   To spread the love, you must first be filled with love.   Sometimes I am, sometimes I am not.

Love is Kind :: my BIG lightbulb moment

Day 2: Love is KIND  
Boys were picking flowers for their Mimi:)   say it with me....."ahhhhhhh"

I'm here to discuss Day 2 of this Love Dare Book: Love is Kind.... but since you know my conversations never quite go in the order you'd expect...neither do my blogs....so here you have it....random as all get out!

I can tell you this....
I want to please the God in heaven who made me unique and gifted me with all these talents & funny quirks.  Wait a second....please do not mistaken

Love is Patient :: I think I'll start there

My hubby bought the Love Dare book several years ago and hid it in his desk for a special occasion.   I spotted it after he cleaned out his desk (months ago) & left the remnants in my garage.   Surprise....happy special clean out my desk day:) 

a picture we took while being silly in bed years ago....Ahhhh LOVE!

There it sat...on a table next to a comfy chair until a month or so ago after a pretty heated argument when I decided to pick it up.  I read the first day:  "Love is Patient".  I thought to myself boy does HE need

The Letters..total miracle here... funny, heart warming video to boot

Ok....the story I keep telling you I'll share....yes, it has taken a while.

God answered our prayers for THE LETTERS in an amazing & totally unexpected way.  I thank God for the Robertson family! Just watch!

since 1971...you can even see my parents wedding picture--the original
newspaper clipping...tremendous!

such a profound statement!

daily used items on display...Love Out Loud

As I sat tonight to type some great—well, in my opinion great—tips for you I just wasn’t feelin it... I was rambling on and on about the cleaning and organizing I did in my kitchen and how you can use beautiful containers to house & display your day to day items...all good stuff, right.  I’ll even include some pics to show what I use for the dishwashing detergent or the homemade hand soap or the trays for the fruit and coffee setup...that’s all well n good but something was off...is off.

This day started a little differently than I like & even though it was a wonderful day, I felt something amiss.  Marc had to bring Koen into bed because even though I could hear him crying my body was acting like dried cement.  After nursing him and getting him back to sleep (cuddled in my arms:) Tiernan comes in for some morning cuddles.  So in my bed was a family cuddlefest at 7am.  Sounds perfect, right!?  Not as perfect as waking up at 6 (I can’t believe I just said that) and spending time with God (yes, getting up at the crack of dawn is amazing when you hear from The Creator).  THEN back to bed for family cuddles.:)   Now that’s what I call a recipe for joy & success. 

My alarm is set & this time I plan on hearing it...and responding with only TWO snooze sessions...then......GET UP!!!  God made some people morning people and then there’s us night owls... what to do?  My advice to you would be discipline your flesh...get up...spend time with God and your day will be greater than you could ever imagine.  It’s time to take my own advice. 

Oh, here are some pics to give you ideas for using containers for housing regular items you use everyday.  First, The coffee station (yes, we have coffee in the morning) a cake plate holds all the goods--a sm green vase full of spoons, my Grandma Barb’s silver sugar dish, mason jar with some baby cereal (not coffee related I realize), a small brass bell, again, not coffee related but I’m a decorator & I must have every inch decorated:) then the butter under the cake plate—OKAY it’s no longer called my coffee station, alright!  I guess I just keep stuff I need on hand in front of me but I display them all as a collection which doesn’t give the feel of clutter. 

Then I have my soap holder for my organic hand soap by E’s, a silver sugar dish I use to hold my Cascade dishwashing drops or bags or whatever they’re called, a cigar box in the background which houses anything extra I don’t need out and visible (its currently empty:).  I would look at thrift stores and garage sales for cool containers you like to hold your daily bits n bobs.

Have a great night & remember, wake up early with your Maker...there is much to be thankful for ... so start there!

Gratitude!!!

Ooo…almost forgot the kitchen table…fruit, napkins (Grandma Barb’s napkin holder just spray painted a cool fun color), and a daily devotional we read as a family at dinner…LOVE IT!  By Joyce Meyer...Love Out Loud...get it!